DAILY HOMILIES #forgiveness

What makes a Christian different from any other human being on earth? Jesus Christ says: ‘Love your enemies.’ You are not better than any sinner if you only love those who love you.

Mariam and Aaron must have fallen into the trap of over-familiarity. They looked down on Moses and questioned his spiritual authority. Be careful about the way you speak of others. Avoid having to run others down especially when you do not know all the facts. The eighth commandment forbids bearing false witness against others.

“Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:31-32)

Free your heart and move on. What you have now is far better than what you think you lost. Try to see the brighter side. Trust that God has always and will always be there for you even in your darkest moments, God is still there for you. He did it for Joseph. He will do it for you.

You may be a miracle worker, you have the ability to raise the dead to life and speak in all the languages of the world but so long as you cannot love your enemies and your heart is so full of hatred for certain persons, you are not perfect.

In truth, forgiving and reconciling with others is a painful thing to do; more painful if the person refuses to admit his/her fault or if the person is unwilling to cooperate in your move at reconciliation. Nevertheless, consider this pain as something rendered to God for as John says, we cannot claim to love God whom we have not seen if our hearts are full of hatred for our fellow brothers and sisters who we see daily

Jesus had the chance to totally squash to pieces all those who treated him badly yet, He did not even wait to rise from the dead before He began his campaign of forgiveness. Right on the cross, Jesus said: “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). As if this was not enough, eight days after Easter Sunday, Jesus appeared to his disciples saying: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

It doesn’t matter what your past has been, Jesus wants to work through you and in you. Jesus wants you to be His apostle, to spread the news of His Resurrection to the ends of the earth. Come of the darkness, embrace the light, save yourself from this wicked generation.

In the midst of so much darkness, we Christians are called to become like this Paschal Candle; to shine goodness, love, compassion, truth, justice and everything Christ would do.

God is inviting us today to rise from where we have fallen, to pick up our Cross again, to say with the Prodigal Son, “I will arise and go to my Father.”

Children must resemble their father, their DNA must match. If we are not merciful, we cannot claim to be children of God and we really have no business in heaven. Your best possible life can only happen when you are merciful. Your heart is too precious to be used as a storage device for hurt, bitterness and vengeance.